Journal article
Physical and biological controls on fine sediment transport and storage in rivers
Martin A Wilkes, Joshua R Gittins, Kate L Mathers, Richard Mason, Roser Casas-Mulet, Davide Vanzo, Morwenna Mckenzie, John Murray-Bligh, Judy England, Angela Gurnell, J Iwan Jones
WIREs Water | Wiley | Published : 2019
DOI: 10.1002/wat2.1331
Abstract
Excess fine sediment, comprising particles <2 mm in diameter, is a major cause of ecological degradation in rivers. The erosion of fine sediment from terrestrial or aquatic sources, its delivery to the river, and its storage and transport in the fluvial environment are controlled by a complex interplay of physical, biological, and anthropogenic factors. While the physical controls exerted on fine sediment dynamics are relatively well‐documented, the role of biological processes and their interactions with hydraulic and physicochemical phenomena has been largely overlooked. The activities of biota, from primary producers to predators, exert strong controls on fine sediment deposition, infiltr..
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Funding Acknowledgements
British Ecological Society Aquatic Group